You'll find them in everything from food containers to electronics packaging, but silica packets are a cheap and abundant desiccant you can use all around your home to keep things dry. Toss a few in your toolbox for rust-free tools.

DIY magazine Popular Mechanics took a moment to highlight all the uses their readers shared for old silica packets, including keeping tools in great shape.

Toss them in your toolbox to keep your tools free of oxidation. I am a line mechanic for Delta Airlines. We do all our work here outside since we don't have a hangar. So when an aircraft arrives with maintenance issues I have to wheel my tools outside, leaving them vulnerable to weather, and sometimes my toolbox gets filled with snow or rain. I have found that if I put two desiccant packs per drawer in my toolbox, it is just enough to dry them out and keep my tools from oxidation.

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Check out the full article for more tips and tricks like using them to save a wet cellphone, extend the life of razor blades, and even dry your fishing gear. Have a clever use for a product most people just throw away? Let's hear about it in the comments.